A/N: Thanks to everyone that reviewed, you guys are awesome. I didn't expect people to be this enthused in the fic. Glad to be wrong. But yeah, original Brothers Grim had the Queen and Snow as mother and daughter. My neighbours heard my cheer at last week episode when they established step mother. I honestly don't think I could write incest.
The next chapter just need proof read and then I'll upload it hopefully Tuesday or Wednesday. I have a test on Monday.
XxXx
"Allow me to kill the daughter of my Queen's nemeses!" Captain Azzeazel had already drawn his sword.
"STOP!" the command sent the guard to his knees and made Emma flinch.
The Queen flicked her cape out of her way and seemed to draw the fire from the hearth into her eyes as the whole room darkened. Emma couldn't tear her gaze away from the enraged monarch. The Queen grabbed her by the throat and with no effort raised her so that her feet kicked uselessly in the air making her chains rattle.
"Emma! Let her go!" Henry ran to her rescue but was suddenly scooped up by an older man that just appeared from nowhere.
"Don't boy, the state she's in she might just kill you too," the old man warned but Henry continued to struggle.
"Physical violence, really dear?" Maleficent sounded patronising "the daughter of your greatest foe and your immediate reaction is to just kill her?"
"Unlike you Maleficent, I learned my lesson on delayed satisfaction," The Queen growled her grip tightening. Her dark painted fingernails were digging deeply into Emma's neck as she struggled.
"But just like me dear, you're not stupid," Maleficent dared to approach her talking directly into her ear "there must have been a reason she was sent here along with one of the most powerful books in our world. Besides, dear, you want to inflict the greatest pain imaginable on Snow this won't achieve that aim."
The Queen's eyes flickered to Maleficent but she didn't ease her grip. "It's true that to lose one's child is simply an unbearable thought to a parent," the old man said "but Snow thinks she's already been through that. Killing this woman would have no more impact on her than killing a stranger. Please, my child, let her go."
Her grip wavered.
"She's my mom," Henry added looking stern and also terrified but his gaze didn't waver from the Queen.
That seem to reach the Queen and with a sneer she roughly let Emma fall to the ground where she laid coughing and spluttering. "Captain Azzeazal, put them in the dungeon. It seems that I'll have to find a proper use for them."
"Wonderful my dear!" Maleficent clapped her hands "now we can start planning the fun bit," she smiled darkly.
XxXx
The dungeon was three walls of thick stone and about as wide as Emma was tall. She reckoned she could lie flat and have her feet and head touch the side walls without any difficulty. The last wall was thick metal bars where a guard sat in a chair facing them unblinkingly.
At least they took off the cuffs, she thought rubbing her sore wrists as Henry paced back and forth in the small space. "We have to get out of here and reach Snow," he whispered eyes darting to the ever watching guard. He was probably going to watch them sleep which was just creepy, Emma found.
"And how do we escape from the castle of an Evil Queen, surrounded by her minions and then a forest that goes on who knows how long?" Emma asked flopping down on one of the side walls. She can't believe she just said that let alone believed every word.
"I don't know, fake sick?" Henry frowned and it was Emma's turn to look at him deadpan. He didn't notice as he began to pace again and Emma noticed that his hands were trembling. He was scared. Well, duh, she thought annoyed at herself for taking this long to catch on to such a basic thing, he's a kid trapped in what is probably one of his nightmares after a long day of travelling across worlds from god knows where, of course he's frightened, Swan, you idiot.
"Listen kid you're right, but right now we have to bide our time for the right opportunity which will come along. We're the hero's right?" She lied.
Henry stopped pacing and she saw his lip trembling unconsciously. Hers used to do that too when she was afraid. "Right," he nodded physically getting a hold of himself with more maturity than a ten year old should have at this age. Maybe his life wasn't all sunshine and roses if he'd learned to do that.
Emma wanted to frown but instead give him a shaky smile. It was the best she could manage at the end of a long day violence where she had been on the losing end both times. "Hey , c'mere," she reached out to him patting her thigh "you seem to be the brains of the outfit, so why don't you get some sleep. You're going to need it."
There was a brief struggle on Henry's face before an expression of yearning overtook it and he snuggled against Emma's side. A little startled, she didn't mean for that much contact, Emma didn't resist as Henry put his arm around himself. He was very small curled up like that. "Emma, will this be safe?"
"Of course kid, I'll be watching over you," she tightened her grip and hoped he put the hoarseness of her throat down to her strangulation.
"Goodnight mom," he whispered quietly to himself but she heard him all the same. I'm not your mom, she wanted to say be even she wasn't that cruel.
XxXx
"Tell me Mirror, is she who we think she is?" The Queen stood squarely in front of the Magic Mirror who's green flames flickered and came to life. A face hovered in the flames with a wide smile it's only feature.
"Its dear Snow White whose heart you crave
But true loves kiss destroyed that grave
And sadly she's not yours to slaughter,
But now's your chance,
You can have her daughter," the Mirror intoned darkly his smile turning twisted. "Yes in other words."
She stood a long time before the Mirror before forcing herself to turn away. "So, what will I do with them since you are both clearly set on me not killing the woman," the Evil Queen asked as she walked towards her Father and Maleficent who both sat by the fire.
"Bed her," Maleficent answered as though the question was obvious.
"That is your answer to everything," The Queen rolled her eyes taking her seat next to her Fathers stool.
"Any why not? She's pretty. Think of Snow Whites face when you bring her child before you and she chooses you over her? Then you can defile her right in front of all the boring lot," Maleficent smiled at her own imaginings seeming far away.
"She's had a child, I don't think there's anything to defile," the Queen snorted.
"How plain and unimaginative you are Regina," Maleficent shook her head disappointed.
"If I may interject? " Her Father said from his stool "she is no threat to you my daughter, so why not keep her prisoner? She is a stranger to this world, escape might be the more difficult and dangerous option than your hospitality."
"She's Snow Whites child, when has that family ever done what's best for them?" Maleficent chipped in "the woman will bolt like a rabbit, the moment your guards get idle and leave the door open. Take her as your slave, might as well get something out of it," she picked up her wine glass and swirled it slowly. "She'll probably lead the child straight into a Trolls lair and bye bye problem."
The Queens eyes narrowed "she would be the type of idiot that would get the boy killed," she stared into the fire weighing all her options. It seemed fate had given her the children of her greatest enemy to do with as she wished. Fate was usually not so kind. Her eyes flickered to the book that she had made the Captain leave on a bookstand just out of the fires light.
"That is all the more reason we should keep them here, but in better conditions so they do not feel the need to run," her Father argued softly.
"Do not let your fondness for children get in the way of this opportunity," Maleficent snapped at both of them. "Take her heart, make her your slave and parade her up to Snows door. It worked well when you did it to the Huntsman. She cried for days over that."
The Queen stopped listening to them both and made her way to the book. The 'Fairy Tale Anthology' was extremely powerful, so how did it rip? How did that woman come back from a world that she had sent her to as a child? Why had she come? And now what was she to do with her? So many questions to answer, she thought as she dragged her fingertips lightly over the book. There was no point in reading it. It would just be blank to her.
"Her arrival has not changed anything," she turned abruptly cutting off the argument behind her "there is still the Magic Circle to plan for and a kingdom to rule. Snow's daughter will keep until then. After all, rushing would be a foolish thing to do," she smiled at them ironically. She should have just killed the woman. "And you, my dear friend, must be off home."
"Sadly, that is true. If I'm away too long the minions start having terrible thoughts like free will and unions," Maleficent stood and shrugged helplessly "what can you do? It is a pity though, that I couldn't stay and help you with such a delightful problem."
"A real pity," the Queen murmured her eyes narrowed at Maleficent's fakery.
Maleficent give one last smile before floating out of the room. When the doors shut behind her her Father waited only a second before asking "do you really have no idea or did you just not want to share it with that snake?"
"Daddy," she chastised gently "she is my dearest friend," she gave the Mirror a slanted glance "but when have you ever known me not to have a plan?" She murmured. She needed questions answered and she planned to get them.
XxXx
They were both startled awake as someone loudly banged on the bars. She glared at Captain Azzeazal who returned it just as fiercely. Standing beside him with his hands clasped behind his back was the old man in typical man servant clothes that she had seen on tv. He even had his white hair in those tight rollers that ended in a pony tail.
"My dears, if you would be so kind as to follow me," he said as Captain Azzeazal flung the door to the prison open.
"Like we have a choice," Emma muttered as she got to her feet helping Henry up as well. The old man just smiled at her benignly and gestured for them to follow. Henry grabbed her hand and she was actually glad. She smiled down at him and he returned it shakily.
They were lead up through thick stone corridors each slightly less dark than the last and all had guards men patrolling them. Even the carpet that ran down the centre of the stone halls was black. "So where are we going?" Henry asked causing the Captain to glare at him.
"I'm going to take you to your room. The Queen thinks that you would enjoy your stay here better if you actually had a bed," the old man smiled at them and neither she nor Henry was taken in by the act.
"That's a sudden change in tune considering she wanted to kill me last night," Emma pointed out. The Captain growled at her but still didn't say anything which was odd.
"Well, now she had a night to sleep on it. It was a very big shock for her. There is some bad blood between our families, I'm sad to say," the old man shook his head as the Captain snorted. Okay, so a little more than bad blood obviously.
They had been walking a good while with too many twists and turns for Emma to keep up with but it was obvious that they were continuing up. Eventually the old man stopped outside a door that looked as plain as the others but was decorated with scowling guards on either side. She hazard that they were here.
"A princess in a tower," the old man shrugged "hardly original but I thought you might enjoy the view." He opened the door for them and stepped back.
It was bigger than her apartment that much she could tell right off. There was a large four poster bed with blue drapes and maroon rugs that matched the heavy velvet curtains that framed two large windows pointed at the top like cathedral windows. Off to one side near two heavy dark wood wardrobes and a set of dresser drawers was a dividing screen that had apples woven into the pattern. Facing the bed was a large fireplace that was unlit at the moment and before that were two small chairs. "I thought black was the only colour you guys knew," Emma said stepping inside. It definitely beat the stone prison.
"Sadly, my daughter went through this maudlin phase in her teenage years and kept the fashion," the old man smiled as he waved in a tall skinny man in an old fashion blue suit complete with waist coat buckled shoes and coat with tails. "I assumed that you would want to share a room for the time being as being a parent in unfamiliar surroundings, one would naturally want their child close by."
"Thanks," Emma said absently her eyes already assessing the new comer. He busied himself unfurling a tape measure and was that swatch clothes?
"Now Ms, if you would care to follow the good Captain here, the Queen would like a word," the old man gestured for her to leave the room.
"What about Henry?" She said eye them.
"The Queen has sent her finest tailor to get new clothes for the boy. I will be with him throughout, rest assured."
"I feel so comforted," Emma replied sarcastically before beckoning Henry to her "okay kid, play nice for now and see what you can find out. If they hurt you I'll make them regret it," she said the last part a bit louder so they all could hear. She meant it too. She would hurt them, evil castle or not, if they touched the boy.
"I'll be fine," Henry assured her "you go speak to the Queen and see if we can get out of here."
She nodded and straightened up but internally she thought, sure, give me the hard job. "Lead on Captain," she waved him forward. He glowered at her and she just knew he was going to sucker punch her the moment they were alone together.
XxXx
"So what is it that they called you?" The Queen sat back on her chair behind a huge gold desk. The room she had been so rudely shoved into was more like a library. There were bookshelves crammed with hard leather backed books of different colours and stretching from floor to ceiling. The ceiling itself was doomed and what seemed to be a dragon skeleton was suspended in chains with many candles sticking out of it. They were unlit because of the large windows on one side of the wall that let in the bright sunlight. The mandatory fire place was on the back wall with two large cabinets either side filled with different potions in oddly shaped vials. Other than the books and the gold desk it was back to the standard black. Black rugs and drapes framing the windows and the woman sitting behind her desk.
"My name is Emma Swan," Emma said fiddling with the chains that the Captain had slapped on her as soon as they were alone. That guy could really hold a grudge.
"And the boy's?"
"Henry..." she stopped as she realised she didn't even know the kids last name. "Henry," she finished lamely.
The Queens eyes flickered in surprise "pretty name," was all she said. Emma frowned, hers was pretty or Henrys? "And your husband's? Do I have to worry about a Mr Swan storming my gates?" the notion seemed to amuse the Queen.
Emma scowled automatically when she had to think of Henry's dad and that was probably why she didn't censor herself. "There is no Mr Swan," she snapped.
The Queen arched her eyebrow "something tells me you're also not a widow," at Emma's silence a twisted smile quirked her lips "this world doesn't take kindly to children out of wedlock, Ms Swan."
"Well screw 'em," she raised her chin defiantly. She wasn't a teenager anymore she refuses to be shamed over past mistakes.
"Quite," the Queen smirked before letting the matter drop. "So Ms Swan, how is it that you came to be in this world after all my hard work kicking you out? And how did you manage to find a book thought long lost?"
"Listen, I don't believe in fairy tales, or at least I didn't," Emma shrugged admitting that this all felt real enough. Her imagination wasn't good enough to come up with half this crap "I think you have me confused with someone else. I don't know who my parents are but I can tell you they're not royalty."
"You are the daughter of Snow White and Prince James, that much has been proven. Now tell me how you got here Ms Swan and quickly before I start to lose my temper," the Queens eyes narrowed dangerously.
Emma glared back "I don't know anything."
"Come now, it would be in your best interests to tell me everything you know, after all your fate rests in my hands," the Queen said.
Emma sighed impatient "alls I know is that one day I'm chasing down criminals and the next Henry and I are fighting over some stupid book until it rips and I wake up here, where your guards then used me for target practice."
"So you were responsible for the book ripping," The Queen murmured. She seemed to be deep in thought. Her eyes then snapped back to Emma's pinning her where she stood "you don't have the first clue about this world Ms Swan," she said rising from her seat effortlessly. She fixed her cape and strolled around the desk to lean against the front. "It's time I educate you."
"Jesus!" Emma jumped as something whizzed past her ear from behind. The Queen smirked as a long scroll unfurled itself between them. Emma crouched down amazed to find the scroll was floating in mid air. She touched what now appeared to be a map and it was as solid as if it was resting on a table "neat trick," she allowed with her normal guarded look.
The Queen smirked before turning her attention to the map "Where you stand, the large black region that boarders the Forbidden Sea, that is all my kingdom. To the west is Maleficents and here in the south, closer to where I'm standing, is Snow Whites kingdom. It is two days to the nearest village from my castle and to get there you must survive the Forrest, then after the village is the Mourn Mountains and over those...well you see my point, dear?"
Emma did. She studied the map closely but it seemed like Snow White's kingdom was on the other side of the world rather than the country. But she had never been afraid of challenge. The Queen seemed to read her face as she huffed "of course that would not be enough to put you off. Common sense never got in your mothers way either. But do remember Ms Swan that as you already admitted you did not believe in fairy tales. You know nothing of our ways. Between Snow White and you, are a thousand Trolls, Orcs, Wolves and every other nightmare creature you have ever dreamed off plus a few you couldn't even imagine. So ask yourself; would you rather take your chance with them? Or me, the devil you know?" The Queen stared at her steadily.
"I don't like it when people tell me what to do," Emma replied evenly returning the stare fiercely.
"That forest out there belongs to me. Every inch. I guarantee you would not survive it. Oh, I have no doubt you would attempt it just to spite me," The Queen said and Emma swore she heard a note of bitterness. "But would you risk your boys life too?"
That brought Emma up short and she unconsciously drew back. Flying off ignorant and half cocked is something she always did. She could take the repercussions, had, on a few occasions but not without scars. Was she willing to gamble a kids life on that? "What do you want anyway?" she huffed frustrated.
"Oh sweetie, that is the question, isn't it?" The Queen gave a slow stretched smile and Emma shivered.
XxXx
Emma felt exhausted when she got back to the room they had been given. Captain Azzeazel yanked her chains off taking a good bit of skin with him. She yelped and glared at him but backed down when he puffed out his chest. The other two door guards looked like they couldn't wait to start trouble and she wasn't stupid enough to think she could take on three armed men with her bare hands. "You're cape still looks stupid," she said closing the door in his face.
"Emma!" Henry ran to her and hugged her around the waist tightly.
"Hey, kid, didn't think I'd run off without you, did ya?" she smiled and ruffled his hair still recovering from the shock of the hug. This kid was awfully touchy feely.
"Emma you wouldn't believe it but that old guy is actually the Queens dad!" Henry said releasing her. She blinked, that was surprising. Didn't villains usually just hatch or something?
"What did you two talk about?" she asked as he dragged her over to the windows.
"Mostly about the book and our world. I didn't tell him anything though, he said to call him Mr Mills since his name is Henry too, weird huh?" Henry pushed open the window and nearly shoved her out of it.
"Whoa!" she cried grabbing on to the windowsill to catch herself. They were definitely in a tower. A ridiculously high tower, she could barely make out the ground below her. Were those clouds?
"So what do you think? Could we get enough bed sheets to climb down?" Henry asked sticking his head out alongside her with no apparent fear.
"Kid, there is not enough bed sheets in the world!" She jerked herself inside again feeling light headed. She was not afraid of heights. She just had a healthy respect for them that's all.
"Well, do you think you could grow your hair that long?" Henry asked.
"Hell no, much longer than this and it become a wiry mess and a pain in the ass to wash," she replied and he gave her that dead pan look again. "Sorry, geeze," she cringed from the unamused look.
"Well, I guess we can still wish upon a star. You're going to have to start singing to birds," Henry said deadly serious.
"Oh no, you say that now, but when I start singing? You'll be begging me to stop," Emma warned him.
"All princesses have some gift! Most of them can sing or enchant creatures or find a pea in their mattress. You have to be able to do something," Henry threw his hands up exasperated.
"Well what about you, kid? Aren't you a prince? Go do something princely!" She snapped overly defensive. She had skills, she could wrestle a man twice her size to the ground and cuff him. She could also drink him under the table and fuck him so hard she cracked his pelvis if she wanted to! Those were skills!
"Mine won't work here," Henry said sullenly folding his arms and throwing himself into a chair by the fire. "All's I can do is tell when people are lying to me."
Emma went cold. Her frustration was blown away at the admission. "You can what-?" Her voice sounded very far away to her own ears.
"I can just tell," Henry shrugged thinking she was questioning him "It's just a feeling I get-"
"-in your gut," she finished dully.
"Yeah," Henry smiled "how did you know?"
"I can too," she said dully groping for the bed behind her before sitting heavily on the end.
"Cool, I told you you're my mom," Henry obviously was experiencing the opposite to her.
Holy shit-he could actually-he might be-he was...?
"So what did the Queen want with you?" Henry asked snapping her gaze back to him.
"Henry," she said breaking it to him gently "she showed me a map, we're pretty far away from Snow's palace. Even if we did escape, there are things in this world that could kill us, or worse, and I wouldn't be able to protect you-"
"-Sure you would Emma, you're a hero. They always protect everyone."
"Henry! It's not that simple!"
"Why not? It might not have been in our world, but it could be here!" Henry's face was starting to go red as he argued.
"Kid! She told me what was out there and I believe her! I saw a dragon skeleton in her library! I can't fight a dragon Henry!"
"Well what do you want us to do?" Henry snapped his jaw square and faced flushed. "We have to get out of here!"
"Yeah, we do," Emma nodded. The Queen was determined to keep her here and that was enough for her to want to leave. Ask any of her ex boyfriends "but we have to be smart about this. We just can't go running off cocks out-er I mean willy nilly," she flushed but forged on "we have to get supplies. Be prepared."
Henry seemed to be nodding thoughtfully "plan it out like a mission."
"Yes, and that means playing along for a little bit," Emma willed him to understand.
"Like an under cover operation," Henry said suddenly energised "we need a code name! We can't keep talking about plans and stuff without one."
"A code name?" Emma repeated amused despite herself.
"Yeah, I know!" Henry's eyes lit up "operation cobra."
"That has nothing to do with fairy tales or escape," Emma said confused and lost.
"Exactly," Henry nodded self satisfied.
"Kid," she laughed and slung an arm around his shoulders "you might just be a genius," or crazy.
XxXx
A/N: I know guys I suck for sending Maleficent away but I had to! There would be no Swan Queen romance if I kept her around. Turns out she's a total unrepentant cockblock. She will be back though. I promise.